scenic viewpoint
Lake Pamvotida, Ioannina
A misty lake with an island monastery and lakeside castle ringed by the Epirus mountains.
3 km · about 5 min drive
EuropeGreeceEpirus
Ioánnina
Epirus, Greece · Europe
About Ioánnina
Ioánnina works well as a base: 5 minutes from Eksochí, 28km from Vikos Gorge.
Ioánnina is in Epirus, Greece, with about 66,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Eksochí, about 4 km away.
Where to Stay in Ioánnina
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Ioánnina?
Within an hour or so of Ioánnina: Lake Pamvotida, Ioannina (3 km), Dodona (14 km), Kokkorou Bridge, Zagori (23 km), Zagori Stone Villages (26 km).
Are there any good drives near Ioánnina?
The nearest famous roads are Katara Pass, Albanian Riviera Coastal Road and Galičica Pass Road.
Where is Ioánnina?
Ioánnina is in Epirus, Greece, about 4 km from Eksochí.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 65,574
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Greece
- Region
- Epirus
- Timezone
- Europe/Athens
- Coordinates
- 39.6634, 20.8519
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Greece
Tourist police (English-speaking): 171.
Full driving guide for GreeceTags
Worth the detour from Ioánnina
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
ancient ruins
Dodona
The oldest oracle in Greece, where priests read the will of Zeus in rustling oak leaves. Its 17,000-seat 3rd-century-BC theatre, among the largest in antiquity, sits in a quiet valley south of Ioannina.
14 km · about 25 min drive
bridge
Kokkorou Bridge, Zagori
A graceful single-arch stone bridge over a clear river epitomises Zagori's old packhorse crossings.
23 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Zagori Stone Villages
A cluster of 46 traditional stone villages in the mountains of Epirus connected by arched stone bridges and cobbled paths.
26 km · about 30 min drive
bridge
Plaka Bridge
The largest single-arch stone bridge in the Balkans spans the Arachthos in mountainous Epirus.
27 km · about 30 min drive
natural wonder
Vikos Gorge
One of the world's deepest gorges relative to its width, plunging 1,000 meters through the wild Pindus Mountains of Epirus.
28 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Metsovo
An alpine Vlach town of slate roofs, woodcarving and cheese high on the Pindus road to Ioannina.
31 km · about 35 min drive
mountain pass
Katara Pass
The historic 1,690 m Pindus crossing, the highest paved road pass linking Epirus and Thessaly.
35 km · about 40 min drive
Driving roads near Ioánnina
- Right hereLake Pamvotida, IoanninaA misty lake with an island monastery and lakeside castle ringed by the Epirus mountains.
- 23 kmKokkorou Bridge, ZagoriA graceful single-arch stone bridge over a clear river epitomises Zagori's old packhorse crossings.
- 27 kmPlaka BridgeThe largest single-arch stone bridge in the Balkans spans the Arachthos in mountainous Epirus.
- 35 kmKatara PassThe historic 1,690 m Pindus crossing, the highest paved road pass linking Epirus and Thessaly.
- 67 kmMeteora Sunset Rock ViewpointA popular rocky outcrop near the Great Meteoron monastery where visitors gather to watch the sunset paint the sandstone towers golden.
- 67 kmMeteora ViewpointA roadside viewpoint revealing the surreal sandstone pillars of Meteora crowned by centuries-old monasteries seemingly floating in the sky.
Driving in Greece
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.88/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€7.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
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